Simple Pronunciation Tip

How I improved my German Pronunciation

Once I had developed my German language skills to a point where I could communicate with people, I decided to focus on my pronunciation. I asked my wife to record herself reading texts in German and then I listened to these recordings over and over again. I took the words she said and broke them down into individual sounds to make sure my pronunciation was closer to my wife’s. This exercise of breaking down words into individual sounds has helped me improve my German pronunciation a lot.

Words are made up of syllables, or parts. The word “syllable,” for example, has three syllables: syl-la-ble. By turning words into parts, you can make them easier to pronounce.

Draw a line between each syllable (every syllable should have at least one vowel: a, e, i, o, u, y). Now try saying the word. Say it slowly and pause after each syllable.

For example, say the word spectacular.

First, separate the word into syllables. How many syllables are there? Let’s see. Spec-tac-u-lar

Then, listen to the correct pronunciation said by a native speaker. I recommend Collins Dictionary.

Thirdly, decide if you want to learn the British or American pronunciation. You will notice that there are some slight differences between the two.

Next, pay attention to how the vowels are pronounced. Vowels give new learners many more problems than consonants, so it’s important that you focus on those.

Now, say out it loud several times. Listen to the correct pronunciation again, and then try to say the word yourself. Repeat, repeat, repeat.